Three Star Trek Online 6th Anniversary blog posts dropped this morning, plus information on all the 50th Anniversay events planned by CBS, and a little teeny-weeny bit of information – but it’s Trump-like yuuuuuge – from the recent P1 interview with Salami Inferno and Zeronius Rex.

Day One Giveaway – 2 Specialization points per character!

Available today only, you can claim this little gem wherever you are in the game. Open the Zen store, and click on Promotions. 2 Spec points will be the first claimable option onscreen. Note that these will be bound to that character and cannot be sold, stacked or traded.

Star Trek Online: Anniversary Krenim Ship

Posted by Phil Gorngonzola Zeleski – As per anniversary tradition, little is revealed in this announcement beyond the process (1000 vouchers, get it on one character, claim it on all your alts), the universal console (usable on any ship) and the ship trait.

During Star Trek Online’s 6th Anniversary event you will be able to obtain 6th Anniversary Prize Vouchers by participating in the event. These 6th Anniversary Prize Vouchers can be spent on an Event Reputation project to obtain the Krenim Science Vessel! This project requires 1000 6th Anniversary Prize Vouchers.

Once this starship is obtained by any character on your account, any characters on this account can claim the Krenim Science Vessel from the Account Claim tab within the Event Store (in the Event Reputation window).

Items and Abilities

Console

The Krenim Science Vessel comes equipped with the Timeline Stabilizer universal console. Activating this console will stabilize any temporal anomalies around your starship. This has the side effect of briefly increasing the flow of time within and around your starship. Enemies affected by this console will suffer a penalty to their recharge times, flight speed and turn rate. Your starship will receive a boost to both recharge times and weapon activation times, per affected foe.

This console also provides a passive reduction to all Science Bridge Officer abilities.

This console may be equipped on any starship.

Starship Trait

After achieving level 5 in the Krenim Science Vessel starship mastery, you will unlock the Improved Feedback Pulse Starship Trait. While this trait is slotted, Feedback Pulse will deal additional damage. Each time you are hit while Feedback Pulse is active you will gain a buff that boosts your Critical Hit Chance and Critical Severity. This buff stacks up to 10 times.

Look for a follow-up blog in the near future that will detail the stats on this awesome new Tier 6 starship!

Mirror Incursion Lockbox

Sadly, my hopes that the Mirror Incursion lockboxes would have the prize % reversed, as with the theme of the box (lost opportunity there), the new lockbox is chock full of evil intent and general nastiness. You have to wonder why the Federation would even allow us to use this stuff boggles my mind. But hey, when you can deploy Tharalon weapons as the ‘good guy’ – why not a little angonizer love? dblfceplm

The Tholians and the Mirror Universe have long been inextricably tied together, with the phenomena of interphase and dimensional travel being hallmarks of Tholian space and influence. The ambitious incursions of Terran Empire forces have brought allied forces into contact with the technology from the other side of the looking glass, including some of the advanced technology that the Mirror Universe has acquired from its own future counterparts. Simultaneously, the Tholians have been present at nearly every incident of temporal shifting or dimensional instability, with rifts to the Mirror Universe never far behind. Examples of both forms of enemy technology have already come under research, with an eye to learning how to use Tholian ships to safely traverse interphases, and how to learn from the advances in Mirror Universe technologies. Many of these advances are already coming into field testing, in hopes of providing parity against enemy forces.

By opening one of the new Mirror Incursion Lock Boxes, players will have a chance to win the Tholian Tarantula Dreadnought Cruiser [T6]. This enormous ship is the linchpin of the Tholian fleet, built by the reclusive crystalline entities to stand up to anything that the galaxy might throw at them.

The Tholian Tarantula Dreadnought Cruiser [T6] comes with a Web Cannon console, which snares enemies caught in the front of the ship when it fires its devastating blast. The tractor-repulsor webs then constrict the ship in a damaging grip.

Energy WebWhile this trait is slotted, activation of Beam: Overload, Surgical Strikes or Cannon: Rapid Fire, your next attack will cause your foe to be trapped in an Energy Web. Enemies trapped in the Energy Web will suffer heavy shield penetrating physical damage over time and be held briefly. This ability’s damage is improved by Auxiliary power and Starship Particle Generators skill. Energy Web can be triggered once every 45 seconds.

The Mirror Incursion Lock Box also includes a chance to win the Tholian Mesh Weaver Escort. This nimble T5 ship is designed to harry enemies while keeping them hemmed in with web walls.

The Lobi Store now offers the Paradox Temporal Dreadnought [T6]. This Mirror Universe ship is one of the most powerful ships in the Terran Empire’s fleet, using advanced technology from the future to be both durable and nimble. This ship includes a Lieutenant Tactical/Command seat and a Lt. Cmdr. Universal/Intel seat, for extraordinary flexibility.

The Paradox Temporal Dreadnought [T6] includes a Temporal Rift Stabilizer, a console that generates temporal anomalies along the forward line of the ship. These anomalies slow enemies and cause kinetic damage as they warp and destabilize the timeline.

Unstable AnomaliesWhile this trait is slotted, your Gravity Well and Tyken’s Rift anomalies will cause heavy kinetic damage in a 5km area of effect when they expire. This damage is improved by Starship Particle Generator skill.

Lootcritter: This looks immensely cool for sci characters who love gravity wells. Thankfully I only have three 😉 Now if ONLY they made lockbox ships account wide.

In keeping with the captured Tholian and Mirror Universe technology included in this Lock Box, the Mirror Incursion Lock Box includes the chance to acquire the Web Snare Console, which fires a compressed beam of tractor-repulsors that forms a massive web. Unlike a typical Tholian web wall, however, this web captures ships that fly near it, and then entangles and crushes them while making them “stick” to the wall.

A new set of Genetic Sequencers (Trait Unlocks) can be obtained from this lock box, following the theme of Terran tactics and technology. Each of the following four (4) Trait Packs can be obtained by Captains:

Agony Modulator (Ground)When you use a Control kit power (a power that causes Confuse, Disable, Hold, etc.), the power also causes a Damage Over Time effect on the target.

Blissful Agony (Ground)When you suffer a Control effect (such as Confuse, Disable, Hold, etc.), gain +Resist against such effects, +Damage Resistance, and small Heal Over Time.

Invasive Control Programming (Space)When you activate a Control effect on a foe (such as Jam Sensors), add a random Subsystem Offline effect.

Secret Command Codes (Space)When you suffer a Control effect or Subsystem Offline, temporarily gain +Damage Resistance, +Resist against control effects, and a small Heal Over Time.

Alliance engineers have also salvaged some examples of advanced Terran Empire technology in the form of Terran Empire Kits. These Terran Empire Kit Packs grant you a kit appropriate to your career and level. In addition to offering standard skill bonuses, each kit frame also enhances the duration of your Control-type powers.

Terran weapons have fallen into the hands of Allied forces as a result of the current incursion, and some of them have made their way to the front lines. These brutal phasers include Terran Empire agonizer technology, which has made their use controversial, but the chaos of the recent wars has made regulation difficult. Players can acquire Terran Empire Agony Phaser weapon packs. Opening a pack allows a choice of a beam, cannon, or ground weapon. Beam weapon packs grant either a beam array or a dual beam bank, with a small chance of a 360-degree beam array. Cannon packs include a turret, single cannon, dual cannon, or dual heavy cannon, with a small chance of a wide-angle dual heavy cannon. Ground weapons grant either a Terran agony phaser stun pistol or a multibeam rifle, and have a distinctive Terran Empire look.

Agony phasers used as ship weapons have a chance to briefly disable an enemy ship as well as causing a small amount of damage over time. Agony phaser ground weapons have a chance to hold an enemy and likewise cause additional damage over time.

Captains can purchase Mirror Universe Uniforms, including variants of the Odyssey, Bortasqu’, and Romulan uniforms as worn by their Mirror counterparts (available only to characters of the appropriate faction). Additionally, a special set of Jupiter Terran Empire Uniforms adds more variants, including Admiral Leeta’s Mirror Uniform pieces.

The Mirror Incursion Lock Box also includes a new set of Mirror Incursion Intel Assignments. Each of these ten assignments offers strong rewards and also holds a piece of research about the events of the Mirror Universe incursion. Completing all ten allows the player to claim the title “Mirror Incursion Agent” along with a box of 10,000 dilithium ore; scoring a critical take (the intelligence community term for acquiring a rich load of secret information) on all ten allows the player to claim the title “Mirror Incursion Infiltrator” along with a box of 50,000 dilithium ore.

The Lobi store now also includes several pieces of additional gear, including Terran Empire Sonic Phasers. The Terran Empire uses these specially-tuned ground weapons for fighting Tholians. Sonic phasers have the agony phaser effects and also inflict 20% more damage when used against Tholians, and they also have unique coloration to reflect their Terran origins.

Finally, the Mirror Incursion Lock Box can include any of a number of bonuses and boosts, potentially including any of:

35,000 Fleet Credit Bonus Pool

25,000 Fleet Credit Bonus Pool

20,000 CXP Bonus Pool

10,000 CXP Bonus Pool

150 Fleet Mark Bonus Pool

100 Fleet Mark Bonus Pool

750 Reputation Mark Bonus Pool

500 Reputation Mark Bonus Pool

Dilithium Mining Claim – Extra-Special VIP Customer

Dilithium Mining Claim – VIP Customer

Extra-large R&D Experience Bonus Pool

Large R&D Experience Bonus Pool

+25 Skill Rating Catalyst (10)

+25 Skill Rating Catalyst (5)

Salvaged Technology (2) <- NICER Addition

Salvaged Technology (1) <- NICE Addition

The Mirror Incursion Lock Box and its additions to the Lobi store will debut with the arrival of our new anniversary celebration, starting January 28, 2016, at approximately 10:00 AM PST.

And of course with any new lockbox promotion – Lockbox Keys are 15% off!

Rule of Acquisition # 74: Knowledge equals profit.

Any wise Captain knows that when a sale this good comes your way, it’s best to take advantage of it. We’re pleased to announce that Ferengi Merchants are putting a 15% sale on Keys from now until February 2nd at 10am PST! With the release of our brand new Mirror Incursion Lockbox, now is the best time for Captains to load up on your Keys and grab those ships you’ve been eyeing. Get your hands on that Tholian Trantula Dreadnought Cruiser [T6] today!

Remember Captains, Rule of Acquisition # 22: A wise man can hear profit in the wind. Now is the time to act.

Priority One Interview with Salami Inferno & Zeronius Rex

Amounting to little more than friendly conversation about the weather and what they can’t talk about, the P1 interview didn’t reveal anything beyond that the ‘Featured Episode’ rerun is coming and it’s on the schedule – but – depending on the Cryptic Soon® planning algorithm, they can’t reveal when it will happen.

I miss the days of Captain Gecko letting things slip.

In all honesty it’s unlikely we will ever see an interview that isn’t 100% unbeat unless something goes horribly wrong, which to their credit they deal with issue openly and quickly. One year after DR, and it’s a huge positive change. The team can’t speak directly to things players deem ‘bad’ – lag, ddos status, torpedo math – for a number of reasons, including it’s still a work in progress.

Lastly – CBS is pulling out all the stops for the 50th Anniversary.

Events tied to the golden anniversary of the huge TV and film franchise, which began with a weekly NBC series on Sept. 8, 1966, are ready to launch.

“We are talking about one of the most influential franchises of all time, but also one of the most beloved with arguably the most passionate and invested fan base in the world,” says Liz Kalodner, executive vice president of CBS Consumer Products, which is presenting the events (details at StarTrek.com). “This year is about the fans and honoring them and creating experiences for them” in art, science and culture.

On a practical level, Star Trek’s influence can be seen in everything from space exploration to flip cellphones (the communicator) to virtual reality (the holodeck), but it inspires philosophically, too, says William Shatner, the original Captain Kirk.

“What’s out there? What’s going on? Are they coming this way? Are we going that way? Dark matter. Ninety percent of the universe is unknown. Unknown!” Shatner says, shifting from mysterious whisper to animated wonder. “The magic of the universe was brought to a lot of people’s eyes and ears by Star Trek.”

I’m pretty sure that the “purchasing” they are talking about is from the Lobi store, not the Zen store. Which is sad, and not account wide. >_<

But aside from that there is definitely a lot to get excited about. While I doubt I'll ever be able to afford more that one, I know at least one character that really needs one of the Paradox ships for concept and one who would love the Tarantula. I'm happily surprised that the majority of things I'd like are going to be in the Lobi store rather than the lockboxes. Hopefully that will make them more affordable.

But the two things that I'm most excited about are the possibilities of a Featured Episode Replay (because I've only been playing for a year and missed out on all the previous ones) and the hinting that there may be another Delta Recruit style event which would be great now that I have more character slots. I know nothing is set in stone, but it's still exciting. =)